In a surprising turn of events, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves exiting the National League Division Series (NLDS) prematurely for the second consecutive year, despite the apparent advantage of a first-round playoff bye. The Dodgers’ postseason woes have raised eyebrows, and even Clayton Kershaw has offered his perspective on the team’s recent struggles.
Key Takeaways:
- The Dodgers earned a first-round bye in the MLB’s new playoff format for two consecutive seasons, but it didn’t translate into postseason success.
- Clayton Kershaw, despite having extra rest between his regular-season starts, couldn’t help the Dodgers overcome their NLDS curse.
- The Dodgers’ pitching staff, including rookie Bobby Miller and veteran Lance Lynn, struggled during the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 2022 and 2023 seasons saw the introduction of a new MLB playoff format, granting the Dodgers a coveted first-round bye. However, this supposed advantage failed to materialize into postseason success, leading to Clayton Kershaw offering his intriguing perspective on the team’s premature exits.
Kershaw, a veteran pitcher with a storied career, found himself in a unique position. Despite the additional days of rest between his final regular-season starts, Kershaw couldn’t single-handedly carry the Dodgers to victory in the NLDS. While he displayed glimpses of his dominant self during the regular season, his postseason demons resurfaced in Game 1 of the NLDS.
In a disastrous start, Kershaw and the Dodgers faced an uphill battle as the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to a commanding 6-0 first-inning lead. Manager Dave Roberts had no choice but to remove the future Hall of Famer from the game, marking one of the shortest starts in Kershaw’s career.
However, Kershaw was not the sole culprit in the Dodgers’ struggles. Other starting pitchers, such as rookie Bobby Miller, faced challenges of their own. Miller’s outing in Game 2 was marred by rookie nerves, resulting in three runs allowed and poor command. Unfortunately, the Dodgers’ offense failed to provide the necessary support, leading to a close loss to the Diamondbacks.
In the pivotal Game 3, veteran Lance Lynn took the mound, but his regular-season home run woes resurfaced at the worst possible time. Four Diamondbacks hitters belted solo home runs off Lynn in the elimination game, securing a sweep as the Dodgers’ struggling offense failed to respond.
“Look, it’s hard,” Kershaw said. “Pitching, maybe not so much. But obviously, offensively, these guys are so used to playing every day. I get it — extra teams, more money, all that stuff. I get it. But I do think — I’m not a hitter, but it does seem like it’s a bit of a challenge. It’s not an excuse, though.”
The blame for the Dodgers’ offensive woes in the NLDS can’t be placed solely on the pitching staff. Star players like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who were presumed NL MVP candidates, collectively managed just one hit in the three-game series.
As the Dodgers, along with the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves, suffered early exits despite their first-round byes, Clayton Kershaw refused to make excuses for the team’s underperformance when the postseason lights shone the brightest. The Dodgers now face a challenging offseason as they seek to address their postseason struggles and return to championship contention.
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